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Michael started to say so, but she held up a hand to cut hi to intimidate the "We don’t have tiet you three inside the VirtNet, and I need you to use those skills of yours You’ll be protected like never before, I promise"

"Wait," Bryson said "What do you o inside … here?"

Weber seemed relieved "Yes" She turned andyou need is waiting in there It’s all set up"

The place looked like a ue Ts of at least twenty NerveBoxes were lined up against both walls, looking just like the coffins frootten their nickna the place an otherworldly feel It was almost like they were already in the Sleep

"I’ve prepped three Coffins for you," Agent Weber said,toward the back of the facility Michael and the others followed "I’ive--Kaine has eluded , the ht you in immediately, but it was just too risky There are people who’d be very … upset if they kneas bringing you in at all"

Michael didn’t let on how ht it would be the et in a Coffin that was under her control But this was the VNS If he couldn’t trust them, whom could he trust? And if he left now, he was sure he’d spend the rest of his life in jail At least this way he had a fighting chance

"You haven’t even told us what you want us to do," Bryson said "And don’t tell me that our only instructions are to juent Weber frowned at Michael’s friend Somehoas the sincerest expression she’d borne yet, half pity and half reuilty that she had to ask theain

"No, I don’t expect you to stop Kaine," she said "In fact, quite the opposite If you do find hi by yourselves I can’t afford to tag you like we did when you went on the Path"

"Because of your enemies inside the VNS," Sarah offered

Weber nodded but then see herself "They’re not ene a Tangent is out of the question No offense, Michael, but you’re a creation of Kaine now You can understand why soed What she was sayingyou can find out where he is," Weber continued, "without actually going there If we can discover the location of his central coding--if there even is such a place--then I have a plan for how to destroy hira and erase him from existence But it won’t work unless we find his central port"

She stopped then, seeiven him hardly any instruction the last tioose chase But he had his own reasons to pursue it, to find outwhat, if anything, had happened to Jackson Porter’s essence He could do that for Gabby, if nothing else

"That’s it?" Sarah asked "You don’t have leads or anything?"